The "Best bullet moulds of all time" thread

[Ian]

RBHarter said something on the Lyman mould thread that got me thinking about what are the time-proven designs and why doesn't someone just copy those as a foundation. If you were to start over from scratch with the basic, common calibers and typical guns so chambered, what would be your first picks? What are the "must haves" that you couldn't do without and why? If you were to recommend a general mould for a newbie with a typical example of a common gun, what would you recommend as a "most likely to succeed" design? If you were planning to start a new mould manufacturing company that focused on producing and inventorying a basic lineup of standard production moulds, what would that lineup look like? I threw just a few out there and will keep updating the list as we go.

Give a number, what it's used for, WHY it works well, particulars an imitator might need to know, things you'd change, etc.

.22 caliber (Hornet, .223 Remington, .222 Remington)
Lee C224-55-RF
RCBS 22-55
Lyman 225415 (.223/5.56)
Lyman 225438 (Hornet)


.24 caliber
Lyman 245496

.257 caliber

6.5mm
Lyman 266469 lapped out to .2685" for Swedish Mausers.


.270
RCBS 130 and 150

7mm
NOE 7mm, what's the number, Fiver?
RCBS 145 grain (7mm TCU and 7X30 Waters)

.30 caliber (.30 carbine, .30-30, .30-40, .308, .30-'06, 300 WM, .300 H&H, etc.)
For plinking/light varmint work: Lee 311-100-2R or Soup Can.
GC middleweight designs: Lyman 311041, provided the nose casts .300" even and the intermediate band is .305" at least. For more generous throats such as some (not all) Marlin .30-30s have, NOE 311-165 with real lube grooves or Ranch Dog TL version. Ric's pick is an H&G #150.
Ed Harris' SKS bullet.
Heavier rifle designs: RCBS 30-180FN (lots of votes), MP 30 SIL, Accurate Molds copy of Ideal 311284.
NOE 311299 since Lyman/Ideal have made like two in 120 years that actually fit a .30 caliber rifle. I'd like to see some taper from the middle of the base up to the first band, like Lyman tries to cut it. NOE's is parallel all the way.
Saeco #315? The genericized Eagan bullet. Good bullet in lots of things.
I'll submit also the John Ardito 311679. Outstanding bullet if anyone could ever cut it correctly.

300 BLK
ACE 311-230. Mine is perfect because it doesn't quite follow the nose profile exactly on the drawing and instead has a little rebate right at the break in the ogive. NOE copied his drawing faithfully and the ogive jams in the rifling early, which can easily be a show-stopper for AR-15s and often does require the bullets be seated too deeply to crimp in a groove or get the front band into the throat very far. I'd like to see it cut just like the one I have and also make the forward groove a crimp groove because that's what we use it for anyway.

.31 caliber

.32 caliber rifle

.32 caliber handgun
RCBS 115 SWC gas check.

.33 caliber

9mm

.35 caliber rifle
RCBS 35-200-RF
BRP 35-220 (largest a Marlin 336 can handle)
Lee C358-200-RF
NOE 360-180GC WFN (for leverguns).


.35 caliber handgun
MP 359640HP
Lee 158 SWC.
H&G #51 160 grain SWC
Lyman 358429 (rifle and Blackhawk)

.375 caliber

.41 caliber

.44 caliber
Glen and Ian: Ideal 429421HP.
LBT WFN.

.451 caliber
Accurate 45-230L. I have sixteen .452" bullet moulds in the 200-230 grain area and this one is hands down the absolute best shooting. By accident, I designed it myself trying to put real lube grooves on a Lee TL452-230-2R, also a very good bullet, and I've shot it in just about every platform out there. Don't ask me why it works so well, but it does.
H&G #68, or whatever the actual number of the flat-based one was (#69 I think?). Nobody makes a copy I like. Accurate catalogs one that's real close.

RCBS or MP 45-270-SAA.

.458 caliber
This could be long. Think newbie, think smokeless powder. Ok, go ahead and list some good GG ones for BPCR. Paper jacket cores are a little beyond the scope of what I intended here.

.475 caliber

.500


Wow that got long fast. At first I was thinking along the lines of just .38 Special, 9mm, .45 ACP, .44 Magnum, .30-30, .308, .35 Remington/358 Winchester/.35 Whelen and maybe 45/70 and .45 Colt but there are so many others.

 

[Josh]

I am honored that one of my moulds made it to the list, wow, that actually means more to me than it probably should...

 

[Brad]

45 Colt, an old Lee buy. The Cayoot kinda heavy FP. Mine runs 295 and shoots well in revolver or rifle. I shoot no other bullet in 45 Colt.

45-70, another Lee buy. A 460420, very similar to the NOE 460405 FP. Again, I need no other bullet for 45-70.

45 ACP, the MP 200 swc clone of the HG 68.

In 30 cal it is bad form for me to not mention the 165 RD for Marlin leverguns. I have an actual 165 RD and the NOE version with regular grooves. The NOE is one of their first buys if I recall correctly.

357 I use mostly an MP 359640 HP and a Lee 158 swc.

300 BLK does well with the MP 30 sil or the NOE version of the ACE 230.

In pretty much any 30 cal bolt gun the MP 30 sil is hard to beat.

I use few moulds. I find one that works and tend to stick with it.

 

[Glen]

I'm not going to address the whole list of calibers (it would take me too long), but I will address a couple of high points.

While I really like the RCBS 35-200-GC, the new Lee 35-200-GC has supplanted it as my favorite, no doubt about it. Not only is it a 6-cavity mould, but it's a better design to boot, hands down (why did RCBS make their nose diameter .341"?).

.30 caliber -- the RCBS 30-180-FN is just about as good as it gets. Honorable mention -- Lyman 311041.

.357 caliber -- the H&G #51 160 grain SWC. Honorable mention -- the NOE 360-180-GC WFN (my favorite bullet for the .357 levergun)

.429 caliber -- the Lyman 429421 SWC and HP. Honorable mentions -- the Lee Group Buy 429640 GC (great .44 Mag bullet!), and my RCBS 44-300-GC-SWC HP mould that Erik Ohlen converted for me.

.452 caliber -- the RCBS 45-270-SAA and the corresponding MP HP version of same.

 

[Brad]

The Lee buy 429640 I got from Glen is awesome. Casts a bit too fat but it does shoot quite well.

 

[RicinYakima]

30/06: The Accurate rendition of Ideal 311284
30/30: Hensley and Gibbs #150 (165 grain FP GC)

 

[fiver]

well this should garner some debate.
22...hmm mine from HM-2 or rcbs's ? I did rip them off but for a good cause.
25 cal. this means 25-20 to me and for that one I use the Rapine 72gr rnfp plain base.
7mm. I'm shooting 3, one walt cut 150gr which is kind of a sized down saeco #248.
and both of the rcbs offerings.
but the best one ever was from lyman now made by NOE.

ED's bullet was cut by 2 company's that got it right. HM-2 once again and Walt Melander [see a theme here?]
i'll leave the rest of the 30 caliber bullets alone, but you'll have a hard time beating the rcbs molds without going to a custom.

31 cal. the 314299
32 cal. well I got's this old single cavity ideal mold with no numbers on it.
I think it's meant for the 32 Winchester but seems to not care if it's in that rifle or the 8 mauser.
just size to 324 and run with it.

the 9mm.
I'm biased once again and Brad might disagree but I'm about 9-k into another run of ammo with this one and it just works in every 9m I have tried it in. [the HM-2]
35 cal rifle. one mold here.
the saeco # 248 it has to be the easiest load development ever in a 358 win. [one and done]
35 revolver.
yeah, pick one of the 2-k designs out there.
I'm mostly using the lyman 158gr rnfp and the 358447 swc mainly and have for i'll just say years.
375.
well that means the 375 win or the 375 super-mag to me.
your gonna have to look pretty hard to beat the lyman 375449
40 cal.
I only have one 40 cal mold, left it's a 180gr rnfp from Magma Engineering and yes you can shoot it in the 40 S&W , that's partly why I kept it, since I have no 38- 40 anything anymore.
41.
I have three.
they are all lyman molds and get used for different things I think the 200gr wad cutter is my favorite though.
42 cal. 429667 hands down [429241 comes up second though]
45 cal. 452664 again hands down [454424 does okay too]
45 acp. 452630 I replaced my H&G mold with it long ago.
458. well I got's this lee 2 cavity mold on loan one time and never let it go 435grs with a gas check.
I gave up the 405gr rnfp plain base government copy I had after trying this one.
it's the only LEE mold I don't own out of 2 in the drawer.

if anyone has read my distaste for Lyman molds before, he would look at that list and think what a two faced jerk.

think again about why I am so hard on them.
years and years of using them with little to no issues, and now I can't trust them.
I feel let down by their lack of ...well,,, lets just call it give a crud.

 

[RBHarter]

Being just a whelp here and to cast I don't have a lot of time in with the classics.

I do like the RCBS 22-55 (NOE in my stash drops at 62) it's easy to get to shoot in fast twist 223/556 I haven't had a chance to try it in a 222 . It must be a good design it's been cut by everyone.

I like the the 430426 I have an example that is .448 as cast. It's perfect for paper patch in a 45 Colts 92'. I expect a 454426 would work just as well and be a winner in ACP revolvers.

NOE makes a 270 specifically for the 6.8 SPCII but I suspect that it would work well in the 270 also. The 279-124 fp is a fine example of a well fitted, matched , full power bullet.

There's a sleeper 40 cal . A 401-175 SWC . It was a mistake when I ordered it but it turned out shooting very well as a full power bullet in 40 S&W even if it was for cowboy cartridge.

 

[John]

My list will suffer from small sample size but:
7 mm- too short for my 280 and 7mm throats the RCBS 145 Sil dies good work in the 7 TCU and 7/30
30 Like so many others the RCBS 180 fn works as does Lee's soup can 113 fp
32 RCBS 98 gr swc
9mm Ly 358242 121 gr and 356402 all feed and shoot well in a 9mm. I have never shot a great target gun in 9, so just saying it works for me.
357 handgun, 358477 has seen a few changes but my 4 cavity works 38's and even kicked up a little. the 180/185 rf LBT designed whether you call it the Glen Larson group buy or whatever works as a heavy PB or checked versions.
35 rifle 200 RCBS, I currently shoot the NOE version.
40 I have to shoot lee's lighter 145 in the Kahr and their 175 in the Smith. Both are OK but I have never shot a target quality gun their either.
44 deferring to the experts. I have gone through at least 7 454421 molds before finding one I like. It is a two cavity and I just deal with that.
45 colt the 454424 I have works well but I have seen at least 10 versions that are different.

 

[Maven]

"Ed Harris' SKS bullet, who made the best one?"

Ian, When Ed first designed that bullet, I owned a (NIB, copiously oozing cosmoline) Type 56 SKS, which required a .314" CB. If I recall, both Lee and Lyman were the only commercial mold makers which offered Ed's design, and that's the good news! The bad news is both were spec'd @ .312", which was undersized for my gun. However, Veral Smith (LBT) was willing to make one to fit my gun at a very reasonable price: It fit my gun perfectly and needless to say, was very accurate.

Fast forward to April, 2015 when I purchased another like new Type 56 SKS having sold the first one (and LBT mold) years ago. The second SKS needed a CB that could be sized to .3165" though. NOE had a slightly heavier, i.e., 165gr. v. 143gr. Harris design, which Al [Nelson] cut to my exact specifications. Indeed, he even telephoned me personally to offer me a deal on a 4 cav. mold. Now, that's service! The new mold is as accurate as the old one and also a pleasure to cast with.

As for .30cal. molds, although my Lyman #'s 31141, -291, and -284 molds cast wonderfully, my '06 didn't especially care for them. Saeco #RG-4 and #315 are another matter as is a CBE (Jim Allison) #31141 look alike with a fatter nose. (My '06 needs at least a .302" nose.)

 

[Lost Dog]

I'm limited these days to 6 calibers & 5 weapons that I load for. A couple wives ago there were more than 50, but oh well. So here's my "short list" today.

.38Spl/.357mag : Lyman & Ideal 357446, 358429, 358429HP, 358495.

.44Spl/.44Mag: Lyman 429421, 429360

.30'06: Lyman 31141

.45-70: Lyman & Ideal 457124, 454424

And my black powder needs: Lyman & Ideal round ball moulds for:
.321", .375", .454", & .490".

Won't find any "lightweight" moulds in my gear as iron and leaded steel are the preferred materials for reliable casting at this location.

And many of the round ball can be sized in a 450 lube/sizer to other calibers and loaded to shoot elongated. The .321" is a dandy in an '06 with 5gr of Unique. Squeezed down to .309" and lightly lubed, it turns an '06 into a great short range varmint gun and cheaper than .22lr.

Ok, bored ya'll enough. Have fun and be safe. ....

 

[fiver]

I think the 315 is a very good mold.
it's design holds up really well, and if you have any sort of taper to the throat like an old A3 would have it's a great fit.
it'd do well in a 30-30 bolt gun too.
it's similar to the NEI 160gr loverign type mold I have with a rounded pointy nose.
I love that mold.
a couple of hours of fill, open, shake, and I have a pile of boolits that lasts for years.
where it fits it excels where it doesn't it's a pain to bother with.

 

[Rick]

In 357m for long range revolver the RCBS 35-200 is tough to beat for both accuracy and 200 meter punch. For a better BC bullet that is just as accurate the RCBS 180 Silhouette is a truly great bullet. About the time I figured out that sight alignment via brail didn't work I picked up the NOE clone of the 180 Silhouette in a 5 cavity. I haven't done much with this bullet because I couldn't see well enough to do testing any justice but I don't see why it wouldn't shoot every bit as well as the RCBS version.

In 7mm the RCBS 145 SPGC in a 10 inch Contender has shot many 200 meter 40x40 scores for me. This same bullet has also worked well in the 7-08 Rem 700, in a 15 inch Rem XP 7 BR it shot a perfect 80x80 at the NRA National Championships.

In 45 Colt in my Ruger Bishawk I've about gone to only one bullet, the RCBS 45 270 SAA though lately from a 4 cavity brass MP clone of that bullet.

The Ruger 30 Carbine loves the Lyman 311410 so much I got 2 4 cavity molds from MP, one PB and one GC. With three different HP options for each mold, one a shallow HP, a deep HP and one set of pins for flat point I'll stay happy and busy for some time.

For 308 Winchester in my TCR 83 single shot both the RCBS 180 FP and the RCBS 180 SP in the 1900-1950 fps range with an accuracy edge to the SP at 200 meters. For a bit lighter load in the same velocity range is SAECO #311. Also excellent in this gun is the RCBS 150 FP and the RCBS 165 Silhouette but my tastes normally run with the heavier bullets

In my 30-30 I almost always go with the RCBS 180 FP but again the RCBS 150 FP and the RCBS 165 Silhouette single loaded or the SAECO #311.

.

 

[Ian]

Well, my lovely spastic laptop mouse pad that has a mind of it's own just blew away and lost 35 minutes worth of careful re-editing of mould numbers and applications. I'll try again later, thanks again for all the contributions so far.

I must say I'm astonished that the Lee C358-200RF has turned out to be a winner. I added one to my Midway wish list tonight.

 

[Creeker]

.30 caliber -- the RCBS 30-180-FN is just about as good as it gets.

Good all round bullet for me.

 

[quicksylver]

Well since I an Stupid ( in comparison to you guys) I will keep it simple:

.30 cal , 30 savage ,308 Win , 30-30 , 30-06 etc the #315
I know there are lost of other 30 cals out there that are great but this has been the easiest to work with so far for me.

.45...... 45 Colt, Lyman 454190, maybe problematic for rifle shooters and too long for some handguns , but is a one holer @ 50'
in my old 3 screw RBH

45 ACP, Saeco #68

 

[KHornet]

Hornet/KHornet=225438HP(Bluckshot), NOE37gr
222/223 -225415HP(Buckshot)
243-245496
6.5x55-266469
7x57&7Rem-Lee Soup can, & 287641
30Cals-Lee150 and Lee 190,311644, 311284HP(buckshot)
303/Mosin-314299
8x57, to early to tell
35, 358429, rifle and Blackhawk
375-375449HPBuckshot)
44-429421
452460-Colt
458-Ohas 405

 

[Elric]

In the 7-30 Waters, the Ideal 285448 is a light, well behaved, and accurate bullet.
357 Max, the RCBS 357-180-SIL is darned good, the mold casts a rain of bullets.

 

[KHornet]

A good thread, with good info!

 

[Todd M]

458. well I got's this lee 2 cavity mold on loan one time and never let it go 435grs with a gas check.

Any idea what mold this is?? Got any numbers on it?